


Academic Crush

by ForcedSimile



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-29
Updated: 2014-08-29
Packaged: 2018-02-15 06:31:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2219346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForcedSimile/pseuds/ForcedSimile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi had not known Hange to be on time for school.  For most of her high school career she was living the intro to every shoujo anime ever created, perpetually late, skipping breakfast, attempting to slink in unnoticed, only to be reprimanded by the teacher.  She always laughed about it and never made any changes.  Until third year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Academic Crush

Levi had not known Hange to be on time for school. For most of her high school career she was living the intro to every shoujo anime ever created, perpetually late, skipping breakfast, attempting to slink in unnoticed, only to be reprimanded by the teacher. She always laughed about it and never made any changes. Until third year. They were put in separate classes, but he noticed that he’d see her before the bell rang every day. Levi was curious as to what prompted this change. After he’d scolded her over it so many times, after she waved away his comments, what made Hange come to school on time?

He could never just ask her of course. That would let her know that he cared enough to notice something about her. He waited by the gate for her at school and watched her approach, her bag slung over her shoulder, her ill fitting boy’s uniform, and that damn smile.

“Good morning, Levi!” she practically sang. He scowled at her. The sound of her voice made his insides turn. They walked side by side into the building.

“You look like hell, Shitty Glasses. If you lose any more weight your uniform is going to slide off your body,” he said. He didn’t look at her.

“Oh, so you noticed that,” she said. So much for not letting her know that he noticed things about her. “I guess I haven’t been eating well lately.”

“Are you sick? Are you trying to be a bother and make me take care of you?” he said. Despite his harsh tone, it came out all wrong, too sweet. He had to fix that. “Because I sure as hell won’t do it. You’re too much trouble.”

Hange laughed. “I know you won’t. I’ve just been too distracted lately to eat much. That’s all.” Levi grunted and kept his eyes ahead. His chest grew tight with worry. “Well, I’m off to my class now, see you later, Levi!”

He spared a glance at her as she went to her classroom. What besides basketball, school work, and classifying plants could get Hange Zoe so distracted she barely ate?

* * *

Levi had no idea what he was doing there. It was making him physically ill to come, he felt nauseous and his heart beat felt irregular. Still, he was at Hange’s house obscenely early pounding on her door. She stumbled downstairs, without her glasses.

“L-Levi?” she said and squinted at him. The sound of her voice made raspy by sleep made him a bit dizzy. She was certainly no good for his health. He pushed his way in.

“You’re not eating, so I’m making you breakfast,” he said. She closed the door behind her and smiled at him.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Don’t think I’m doing this for you. If you died of malnutrition it would reflect badly on the school,” he said.

“All right. I’ll be down in a moment, I have to shower and get dressed,” she said.

It was his turn to be distracted. He made breakfast without much incident, but his mind was elsewhere, upstairs wondering exactly what was going on in the rooms above him. He set her place at the table and she arrived with her school bag and a grin.

“Wow, I haven’t sat down to a proper breakfast in ages,” she said. He noticed her uniform wasn’t disheveled today. In fact, it looked like it fit her properly. A new uniform? But why?

“Just sit and eat. I don’t want to be late,” he said.

She smiled at him. “Thank you.”

“Stop fucking thanking me,” he said. She laughed and he felt like he was having a heart attack. “Just hurry up!”

Hange ate without hesitation. Her appetite was normal at least, even if it bothered him that she wasn’t eating regularly.

“I noticed you always eat that horrible packaged bread at school. I made you a proper lunch, so you’d better eat it,” he said and slid the boxed lunch toward her. She blinked rapidly and put the lunch box on her lap.

“I want to say something nice but you told me not to,” she said.

“Just finish your damn breakfast,” he said.

She did and they were on their way to school together for the first time since middle school. Levi didn’t say much and Hange kept talking about all the bugs she had caught and observed near her herb garden that week. He decided he must be a masochist because the sound of her voice made him feel this weird ache and but he kind of liked it so he let her ramble on.

“Hange-sempai!” a voice in the distance called. They both turned. A boy, in a different uniform ran to join them. He was blond, about Levi’s height, but he had this excited light in his eyes when Hange grinned at him that Levi didn’t like.

“Hey, Armin. This is my friend Levi. He’s joining us on our walk to school today,” she said. Armin greeted him politely but Levi didn’t say anything in return.

“D-did I offend Levi-sempai somehow?” Armin asked Hange. She rolled her eyes.

“He’s always this unpleasant,” she said.

“Just shut up,” he said. But he was secretly glad. He hadn’t heard a snappy comeback from Hange in a while. It was lots of dreamy “thank yous” and “All rights” that made him uncomfortable. That aside, who was this boy?

“You should see how my orchid has grown, Hange-sempai!” Armin said.

“Do you have pictures?” she asked. He did and pulled out his phone to show her.

“Ugh, you guys are such nerds for plants,” Levi said.

Armin stuttered an apology but Hange ignored him and fawned over Armin’s pictures. Levi walked a few feet ahead as they talked about plants. Was Armin the reason Hange was early to school? They stopped in front of another high school.

“Here’s where we part ways. See you later, Hange-sempai!” Armin said.

“Not today! I have to clean after school,” Hange said. Levi watched the disappointment on Armin’s face with some triumph.

“A-all right. Tomorrow then!” he said.

Hange waved to him as he went toward his school.

“Armin’s a cute kid,” she said.

Levi harrumphed and walked ahead. “If you like nerdy types.”

“I do,” Hange said. Levi was struck by the casual tone and the fact that she acknowledged she had a type. Hange Zoe never, ever even remotely talked about attraction to anyone. He swallowed.

“Well you sure like them young. Are you grooming this one into your perfect boyfriend?” he asked.

“Nah. Armin is just a scared little first year in another high school. We both like plants, so we talk. He’s really nice,” she said.

Levi wasn’t sure how to react to that. It was obvious to him that Armin had some sort of crush on Hange, even if she didn’t return it. He felt quite hot and delirious, he might have loosened his tie a bit. Why did the idea of someone liking Hange make him feel so sick?

“It’s disgusting that he likes you,” he said.

Hange stared at Levi for a moment. “He likes me?”

He glared. “You didn’t know?”

She shrugged. “I just thought...”

He waited for her to continue. She didn’t, just stared ahead with no expression.

“Well?” he said.

“Hm?”

“You just thought what?” he said.

“Nothing,” she said. Hange walked ahead of him and he walked faster to catch up.

“Stop walking so fast. I don’t want to get to school sweaty and gross like you are all the time,” he said.

“Right,” she said and slowed down. Something was wrong with her and he was certain he was catching whatever illness was causing this listless version of Hange.

* * *

He kept notes on their shared illness. Hange: Loss of appetite. Loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities. Listless and unresponsive. Weight loss. Trouble sleeping. Levi: Heart palpitations. Tightness in chest. Dizzy spells. Nausea. Dry mouth. Increased sweating and overall feeling too hot too often. Trouble sleeping. The symptoms were radically different. If they persisted for much longer, he was going to the doctor and insisting Hange do the same. They were both horribly sick. Just to make sure she didn’t get worse because of lack of food, Levi made breakfast for Hange every morning and a homemade lunch. She said less and less to him every day, though he’d have this horrible episode when ever she’d perk up while talking to Armin. He’d just feel dizzy and hot every time. Maybe he was allergic to the trees in the area.

Finally, after weeks of being in a rut, of barely speaking to him, Hange came to breakfast in a girl’s school uniform and her hair was down. She tugged at her skirt and looked at him expectantly.

“Well?” she said.

“Why are you wearing that?” he asked.

“Thought I’d try it. What do you think?”

“It’s weird,” he said and avoided her gaze. He secretly hoped she’d snap back at him like she would have before she got sick. Instead she sank into her chair lifelessly.

“I look weird. It’s the best I could do,” she said. “It’s going to have to be enough.”

“Enough for what?” he asked.

She didn’t say anything, just got up and left.

“Don’t just leave without eating!” he called after her.

“I’m not hungry. Finish without me and lock up,” she said. Hange slammed the door behind her far too quickly for him to protest. He now was in no mood to eat, but cleaned up the kitchen and went the usual route to school. Armin was waiting along the way and seemed crest fallen when he only saw Levi. He fell into step with him.

“Um...Levi-sempai?” Armin began.

“Ackerman. You address me as Ackerman and nothing else,” he said.

“A-all right! Um...Ackerman-sempai, may I ask you a question?”

“What?”

“Where’s Hange-sempai?”

“She left earlier than usual,” Levi said.

“Oh...I see,” he said. “Well, I’m going to my own way now. Good bye!”

And good riddance. Levi hurried to school and hoped to catch Hange in her homeroom before the bell rang, but no one had seen her. He felt horrible all morning until lunch time, when he made a beeline for her classroom again. Petra met him at the door.

“Levi, long time no see!” she said brightly.

“Was Hange in class today?” he asked.

“Yeah, but she left the classroom as soon as lunch period began. It was strange since I saw she brought lunch today and she left it in her desk,” Petra said. Levi turned abruptly and fumed silently. Whenever he saw Hange again, she was going to get it.

After school he checked her classroom again. No sign of her. Her bag was gone. He went to see the group of fourth years she usually played basketball with. No one had seen her. He didn’t even go home after that, he walked straight to her house. He knocked on the door. No answer. He called her phone, no answer. He pounded on the door again.

“I know you’re in there, Shitty Glasses. Where the hell were you today?” he asked. Finally, he heard footsteps and then the door opened. Hange was there, still in her school uniform. She clearly had been crying.

“Hange...” he said.

“Leave. Right now,” she said. He didn’t know what to say, torn between making fun of her and holding her tight.

“Did someone make fun of you today?” he asked.

“Just shut the hell up and go away!” she said, but she didn’t close the door. She only glared at him through tears that threatened to fall.

“What’s wrong?” he said. She walked away but left the door open. He took the chance and walked inside and closed the door behind him. She clenched her fists.

“You were right. All these years, you were right,” she said.

Levi crossed his arms, “I know I’m always right. But what was I right abou—”

She started to shake and Levi couldn’t bring himself to be smug anymore.

“You told me I was gross. That it was disgusting for someone to like me and it’s true,” she said. He stepped closer to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

“You know I was joking right? I thought you could take a joke,” he said.

“I know , Levi, I _know_ ,” she said. “But sometimes...maybe jokes are a shade of the truth.”

“Shut up.”

“No you shut up!” They met eyes and she started to laugh. She blinked back the tears that still threatened to fall. “I confessed to someone today.”

“Who?” he asked. “Armin?”

Hange laughed. “No way!”

“Then, Mike. The fourth year you always play basketball with.”

“No. He’s dating.”

“Then...who?”

“Erwin.”

“Your teacher? Is that why you’ve been on time for school this whole year and wore that weird uniform? Hange, that’s gross,” he said. She sighed deeply. He hugged her hesitantly at first, but tightened his arms around her when she didn’t pull away. “He’s so old.”

“So you don’t think I’m disgusting?” she said.

“You are right now. I’m going to draw you a bath.”

There was some relief. Hange was not sick, just had a crush on someone. Hopefully soon she’d be back to normal. What scared him the most was in finding out the source of her perceived illness, he’d discovered the cause of his own. He tested the temperature of the bath water. He went to her room and knocked on her door.

“Bath’s ready. I’m going downstairs to make you dinner,” he said.

“You don’t have to,” she said.

“I’m going to.”

She opened the door. She was in her bathrobe and she grabbed his hand.

“Cut some orange slices and come sit with me,” she said.

“I-I’m not getting in the bath with you!”

“No, no. You sit outside the tub. I’ll sit in it. I want to talk to you.”

He didn’t agree but walked away. He didn’t know why he was so willing to do as she asked. He took a deep breath before knocking on the door. “Did you shower before getting in the tub?”

“Yes!”

“Are you in the tub right now?”

“Yes.”

He entered. She was leaning on the lip of the tub with her familiar grin. He set the orange slices near her and pressed his back against the tub so he didn’t have to face her.

“So now that I’m clean, tell the truth. Do you think I’m gross, Levi?” she asked.

He rolled his eyes. “Not especially gross.”

She pressed her wet forehead against Levi’s shoulder. “I feel gross.”

“You’ll get over rejection in time,” he said.

“Yeah. It’s better than making yourself sick over a crush.”

He became silent. “I’ve been doing that for a while now.”

“Oh? You should confess to her. You’ll either have a girlfriend or you’ll be forced to get over her.”

“You’re right.” They were silent as Hange began to slurp on an orange slice. “I like you, Hange Zoë.”

Hange dropped the orange rind she was holding. “You _what_?”

“Don’t make a mess,” Levi said.

“Don’t change the subject! What did you say?”

“I like you.”

“Say it while looking me in the eye.”

He turned around and cupped her face gently with his hand. “I like you, Hange Zoë.”

Levi kissed her forehead and left her alone. He made her dinner and prepared to go. Just as he was about to leave, Hange came running down the stairs. She pinned him against the door. She carefully scrutinized his face.

“You have one hundred days to prove yourself to be good enough for me. Until then, our relationship is a secret,” she said.

“So we’re dating now?”

“Basically.”

“Then will you kiss me?”

Levi was surprised at how quickly Hange responded. Not even a “yes,” just her lips claiming his. When she pulled away, he brushed some loose hairs away from her face.

“Was that kiss originally reserved for Erwin?” Levi said.

“My lips aren’t on reserve. You asked, I wanted to, I did it. Besides...I think my crush on Erwin was a distraction from who I really like.”

“Who am I up against?”

She laughed and hugged him tightly. “Yourself. Let’s have breakfast together tomorrow.”

“All right. I don’t want you to start being late just because you’re trying to get over Erwin,” he said.

“I was looking forward to staying up late playing games and sleeping in. Guess I can’t if I’m eating breakfast with you,” she said.

“Damn right,” he said. Levi wasn’t one to be over confident, but he was certain that in one hundred days, he’d have to break the news to Armin that Hange was dating him. A smirk tugged on the edge of his lips as he thought about it and the feel of Hange’s hand in his as they would walk to school. All in good time. All in good time.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Not gonna lie, I had no idea what to call this thing. I wrote it simply to write Levi as a 16 year old tsundere, which I assume, given the right circumstances, he definitely would be. I know this falls into all the typical vaguely Japanese high school anime stereotypes, number one being: WHERE ARE THEIR PARENTS? I really have no explanation for this.
> 
> Posted in solidarity for all the people going to school this week and next week.


End file.
